Apple of my eye

She changes the way
I see this beautiful earth

She is here to stay
till im buried in it

She is the first one
to be touched every morning

And the last one
to kiss me good night

Caressing my temples,
Kissing my nose

Her presence by my side,
is a reassuring sight

No one can separate us,
For she is a part of me

So close, so intimate
that we see eye to eye

We see the world together
and redefines the way i look

She is the apple of my eye
Oh no! she is a part of me

--
Me and my spectacles

This Decade

The world did not come to an end with Y2K problem after all.

Computers and 'devices' talk to each other over networks more than humans do in person.

The most unreal things happen in 'reality' shows.

There is always some war or conflict in some part of the world in the newspaper.

Some crops managed to reach fuel tanks instead of hungry stomachs, in the form of biodiesel.

People go without a purse, but cannot go without a cell phone.

After laughing at the queer costumes from your dad's school photos, you find that it is fashionable again.

Camera tricks and sets are replaced by Computer graphics and animation in blockbuster movies.

Being 'Online' refers to internet instead of telephone.

Digital-divide continues where Poverty-line ends.

Your net bank savings is not a printed number in a passbook anymore, but a number stored in some server's hard disk.

Suddenly global warming is big enough to get a Nobel Peace prize, but not big enough for the most powerful nation to endorse the actions needed to reverse it.

Half of the world's ills are blamed on greedy developed countries, who in turn blame it on developing countries growing 'too fast'.

Bushfires are under control and fires caused by Bush are not.

Uranium enrichment is a considered bigger problem than a huge nuclear stockpile.

Meanwhile Rock concerts blasting music are dedicated to conserve the earth.

American Idol is seen and loved everywhere in the world.

China is actively building up its cricket team.

You can buy a ticket to experience space travel and zero gravity. No such service for heaven or middle-earth.

Bloody, repulsive images are printed in cigarette packets, yet it discourages everybody except smokers.

Corporate social responsibility is now one more stunt for 'ethical' media publicity.

It’s ok for adults to watch and enjoy cartoon animation movies too.

Microwave radiation passes through peoples' brains more often everyday, than thru their food.

Sleepy subjects in school are now primetime infotainment in NatGeo, Discovery, History and AnimalPlanet.

Terrorists replaced aliens as most preferred villains in movies.

Dinosaurs start to feature in Rocky, Die hard, Indiana Jones, Terminator, Rambo.

Australia is suddenly closer to Asia than the West and its prime minister can speak in Mandarin.

And all businesses, magazines, governments are looking 'East'. There seems to be no economic article these days that does not mention China or India.

Overpopulation is not a problem anymore, but is referred to as 'sizeable market' these days.

Immigration rate increases in some countries as birth rate decreases in others.

Countries still compete to build the world's tallest building despite some horrific disasters.

Tamil is now declared a classical language, but sadly I prefer to use English to report that.

Many common nouns get a prefix of 'e' or 'i' -e-mail, e-governance, e-passport, i-pod, i-shuffle.

Security and immigration procedures in airports can take more time than the travel time.

Countries advertise on TV to promote their tourism just like companies put up ads to sell their products. Incredible India competes with Inside Intel during ad time.

Education is spelled as 'Livelihood' for students and 'Business' for Institutions imparting it.

Simple things like food, water, land, fuel cost more and complex things like cars, electronics, and air travel cost less.

But many tech 'essentials' have remained free - incoming calls, email, voice chat, online music, video, news, data storage.

There is much more spam messages than real mails being transmitted.

Short sight of the eyes is now fully curable by Lasik, but myopic government policies are not.

The greatest Communist powers have become Capitalist, yet new communist governments are still elected.

A lot more people are discovering freedom of speech and expression in a virtual world, but Dictators who limit them have not disappeared in the real world.

More Indians work in software industries than in sugarcane plantations.

There are more Chinese products in the market than bacteria in your ear.

Spelling mistakes scorned by your English teacher are now considered kewl numonyx.

Before even saying their name, people start to share their email id or blog address with you.

You can have a phone, video-conferencer, instant messenger, alarm clock, calendar, calculator, internet browser, mp3 player, still and video camera, GPS receiver, voice recorder, pager, notepad, document reader, email client, FM radio, dictionary, gaming device, emergency torchlight (and trouser pocket warmer) -- ALL in one small handheld device --But it still cannot be used as electric shaver !

This decade, I finally came to realize that I won’t be a student forever - but will eventually complete education, find employment, fall in love yet again and get married.

Frankly(n) speaking...

The best thing to give
to your enemy is, forgiveness;
to an opponent, tolerance;
to a friend, your ear;
to your child, good example;
to your father, reverence;
to your mother, conduct that will make her proud of you;
to yourself, respect; to all men, charity.

- Benjamin Franklin

----
to your mother- its fantastic to note that a famous kural by Tiruvalluvar conveys exactly the same meaning- great minds think alike.

ஈன்ற பொழுதின் பெரிதுவக்கும் தன்மகனை
சான்றோன் எனகேட்ட தாய்.
On hearing from others that her son is full of virtues and wisdom,
a mother feels happier than the moment she begot him.

Climate change

I can't remember my past demons now,

and the old sorrows don't bother me a bit.

After you walked so silently into my life,

you made this inner happiness - a habit.

Director's cut

I find Directors of anything -be it serials or movies - to be really impressive characters themselves. Just observing them at work, or listening to their interviews can be an insight into the intelligent beings that they are. They are such great observers of humanity and emotions, abstract things and the analogies they may me exploited for, and their ability to think on their feet when something in their bound scripts go wrong.

Most of all, their energy to create.

I asked one director I was working with in between the scenes, after seeing him run around getting things done at 4am in the studio - 'Sir , from where do you get all this energy from ?' 'Nuclear power ?' I suggested.

And he replied without thinking for long "Vairagyam power", and went on to direct his next scene ! (Vairagyam ~ Strong willed perseverance)

Pyar ka side effects.

I look forward to everyday.
Im less cynical about things.
The colours looks deeper.
The music sounds richer.
The daily meal is tastier.
Life doesnt suck anymore.
Singles look like aliens.
Replaced 'n' in Lonely with 'v'.
God seems most benevolent.
Nature seems kinder to me.
The world feels a bit safer.
Cellphone is THE invention.
Cloudy days dont mean sadness.
I now like the guy in the mirror.
Coincidence is believable again.
Hope doesnt seem vain anymore.
Optimism isnt bad after all.
Dark nights arent depressing.
I goto sleep with a smile.

I am in love.

Revenge of the aliens.

What an idiot I am! A lovable one at that!

ஜென்மம்

மறுபிறவியில் நம்பிக்கையில்லை
என்னோடு நீ வாழ்வதானால்

மீண்டும் பிறக்க வேண்டும்
என்னோடு நீ சேராவிட்டால் !

Rising from The Ashe

Arthur Ashe, the legendary Wimbledon player was dying of AIDS which he got due to infected blood he received during a heart surgery in 1983. From world over, he received letters from his fans, one of which conveyed: "Why does GOD have to select you for such a bad disease"?


To this Arthur Ashe replied:

" The world over -- 50 million children start playing tennis, 5 million learn to play tennis, 500,000 learn professional tennis, 50,000 come to the circuit, 5000 reach the grand slam,
50 reach Wimbledon, 4 to semi final, 2 to the finals,

when I was holding a cup I never asked GOD 'Why me?'.
And today in pain I should not be asking GOD 'Why me?' "

Happiness keeps you Sweet,
Trials keep you Strong,
Sorrow keeps you Human,
Failure keeps you humble and
Success keeps you glowing,
but only Faith & Attitude Keeps you going...

Light !

Been wandering for many years
In a never ending wilderness
Being so blinded by the tears
Groping through the darkness


A gentle whisper, somewhere near
I pause to turn around and hear
Just had to open my eyes to see -
Blue skies, rising sun and lovely sea !

The Great Paradox

George Carlin, comedian of the 70s and 80s wrote the following eloquent and appropriate piece on our times.
I must have received received this half a dozen times, read it and absorbed a bit of it everytime.
--------------------

The paradox of our time in history is that we have taller buildings but shorter tempers, wider freeways , but narrower viewpoints. We spend more, but have less, we buy more, but enjoy less. We have bigger houses and smaller families, more conveniences, but less time.. We have more
degrees but less sense, more knowledge , but less judgment, more experts, yet more problems, more medicine, but less wellness.

We drink too much, smoke too much, spend too recklessly, laugh too little, drive too fast, get too angry, stay up too late, get up too tired, read too little, watch TV too much, and pray too seldom.

We have multiplied our possessions, but reduced our values. We talk too much, love too seldom, and hate too often.

We've learned how to make a living, but not a life. We've added years to life not life to years. We've been all the way to the moon and back, but have trouble crossing the street to meet a new neighbor. We conquered outer space but not inner space. We've done larger things, but not better things.

We've cleaned up the air, but polluted the soul.. We've conquered the atom, but not our prejudice. We write more, but learn less. We plan more, but accomplish less. We've learned to rush, but not to wait. We build more computers to hold more information, to produce more copies than ever, but we communicate less and less.

These are the times of fast foods and slow digestion, big men and small character, steep profits and shallow relationships. These are the days of two incomes but more divorce, fancier houses, but broken homes. These are days of quick trips, disposable diapers, throwaway morality, one
night stands, overweight bodies, and pills that do everything from cheer, to quiet, to kill. It is a time when there is much in the showroom window and nothing in the stockroom. A time when technology can bring this letter to you, and a time when you can choose either to share this insight, or to just hit delete...

Remember; spend some time with your loved ones, because they are not going to be around forever.

Remember, say a kind word to someone who looks up to you in awe, because that little person soon will grow up and leave your side.

Remember, to give a warm hug to the one next to you, because that is the only treasure you can give with your heart and it doesn't cost a cent.

Remember, to say, "I love you" to your partner and your loved ones, but most of all mean it. A kiss and an embrace will mend hurt when it comes from deep inside of you.

Remember to hold hands and cherish the moment for someday that person will not be there again.

Give time to love, give time to speak! And give time to share the precious thoughts in your mind.

AND ALWAYS REMEMBER:

Life is not measured by the number of breaths we take, but by the moments that take our breath away.

Same same, but different

With specimens of the same gender,
Familiarity breeds Contempt.

With specimens of the opposite gender,
Familiarity breeds !